Connecticut General Statutes 45a-266 – Encumbrances on property of decedent or on proceeds of insurance policy on life of decedent not chargeable against assets of decedent’s estate
(a) Where any property, subject to any lien, security interest or other charge at the time of the decedent‘s death, is specifically disposed of by will, passes to a distributee, or passes to a joint tenant under a right of survivorship, or where the proceeds of any policy of insurance on the life of the decedent are payable to a named beneficiary and such policy is subject to any lien, security interest or other charge, the fiduciary, as defined in section 45a-353, is not responsible for the satisfaction of such encumbrance out of the assets of the decedent’s estate, unless, in the case of a will, the testator has expressly or by necessary implication indicated otherwise. A general provision in the will for the payment of debts is not such an indication.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 45a-266
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
- Decedent: A deceased person.
- Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
- Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
- Right of survivorship: The ownership rights that result in the acquisition of title to property by reason of having survived other co-owners.
- Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
(b) Any such encumbrance is chargeable against the property of the decedent or the proceeds of a policy of insurance on the life of the decedent, subject thereto. Nothing in this section imposes upon a testamentary beneficiary, distributee, joint tenant or named insurance beneficiary any personal liability for the payment of the debt secured by such encumbrance.
(c) Where any lien, security interest or other charge encumbers: (1) Property passing to two or more persons, the interest of each such person shall, only as between such persons, bear its proportionate share of the total encumbrance; (2) two or more properties, each such property shall, only as between the recipients thereof, bear its proportionate share of the total encumbrance.